The Challenge of Moving
September 23, 2009
One of the most challenging aspects of a move from one residence to another is sorting through your accumulation of "stuff". I feel confident that there are folks who do the annual Spring and Fall cleanings and do not accumulate "stuff", but their are others who have a difficult time parting with family mementos and the old records of bank statements, utility bills, tax returns. etcetera, etcetera.
With the files or boxes of papers, here is a guide to keeping or tossing.
Any paperwork for your car, keep as long as you own the car. (I don't mean the monthly gas purchases. Keep those records that you may need for your yearly tax returns if the car is used for business.)
Save bank statements for 7 years, but shred ATM and deposit slips after you verify them against your bank statement.
Utility bills can be kept for 6 months.
Credit card statements are good to keep for a year, but your receipts can be shredded once you cross reference them with your statement.
Paycheck stubs can go after you have compared them to your W-2 form.
Any home ownership paperwork needs to be kept as long as you own the home.Once an insurance policy has been reissued, shred it. Shred claims after a year, but if you get an insurance payment, keep those records for 7 years.
Keep all birth, death, marriage, adoption, military and other vital records forever.
Keep tax returns indefinitely, but supporting documentation may be shredded after 7 years.
Trust information, wills, durable powers of attorney, and any other legal documents keep forever.
If you are retired and have retirement and pension documents, keep them forever.
This is the paperwork that you will want to neatly file to take with you wherever you may go.
As for the children's report cards or sports trophies or great grandmother's china, offer them to those who would most want to continue treasuring them. Have a memory sharing party and if no one really wants to continue keeping them, give to a cause or a thrift shop or sell on e bay or hold a yard sale.
The idea is to de-clutter your life and to recognize that simplifying can be a satisfying experience.
One of the most challenging aspects of a move from one residence to another is sorting through your accumulation of "stuff". I feel confident that there are folks who do the annual Spring and Fall cleanings and do not accumulate "stuff", but their are others who have a difficult time parting with family mementos and the old records of bank statements, utility bills, tax returns. etcetera, etcetera.
With the files or boxes of papers, here is a guide to keeping or tossing.
Any paperwork for your car, keep as long as you own the car. (I don't mean the monthly gas purchases. Keep those records that you may need for your yearly tax returns if the car is used for business.)
Save bank statements for 7 years, but shred ATM and deposit slips after you verify them against your bank statement.
Utility bills can be kept for 6 months.
Credit card statements are good to keep for a year, but your receipts can be shredded once you cross reference them with your statement.
Paycheck stubs can go after you have compared them to your W-2 form.
Any home ownership paperwork needs to be kept as long as you own the home.Once an insurance policy has been reissued, shred it. Shred claims after a year, but if you get an insurance payment, keep those records for 7 years.
Keep all birth, death, marriage, adoption, military and other vital records forever.
Keep tax returns indefinitely, but supporting documentation may be shredded after 7 years.
Trust information, wills, durable powers of attorney, and any other legal documents keep forever.
If you are retired and have retirement and pension documents, keep them forever.
This is the paperwork that you will want to neatly file to take with you wherever you may go.
As for the children's report cards or sports trophies or great grandmother's china, offer them to those who would most want to continue treasuring them. Have a memory sharing party and if no one really wants to continue keeping them, give to a cause or a thrift shop or sell on e bay or hold a yard sale.
The idea is to de-clutter your life and to recognize that simplifying can be a satisfying experience.
posted by shirley harry at 8:03 AM
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